The Champions League group stage has reached the halfway point and by now teams know whether they’re in a great spot to qualify for the last 16 knockouts – or face an uphill battle in their final three fixtures.
Tuesday and Wednesday nights from this point onwards can go from exciting to stressful very quickly, with results elsewhere also impacting on whether clubs might need a positive result on the road or a surprise upset in one of their hardest games.
Here we focus on what the Premier League quartet of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle United need to do in their respective groups to go through, along with Scottish side Celtic and the rest of Europe’s elite.
Group A
Bayern Munich are flying at the top and a win on matchday four (MD4) will guarantee progression. It’s still up for grabs for a top-two finish between the other three clubs.
Man United are third, one point behind Galatasaray who beat them at Old Trafford, so job No.1 is to make it a double over Copenhagen on MD4. If they do that and Bayern win against the Turkish side, a draw in Istanbul next time out will ensure United go into the final game in second place.
Group B
Arsenal are top despite slipping up at home to Lens on MD2. If they can beat Sevilla at the Emirates Stadium this week, they’ll be within touching distance of the last 16.
Behind them, Lens are second but there’s not much to choose between themselves, PSV and Sevilla. The Dutch side realistically need to beat the French outfit in MD3 to bunch up the race.
Group C
The group which looks the most set at this stage. Real Madrid are top and unbeaten, with Napoli second. Braga and Union Berlin, who are pointless, are likely fighting for third and a Europa League spot.
Group D
Another clear hierarchy group, with Real Sociedad and Inter Milan tied at the top on seven points apiece. Salzburg and Benfica will fight for third, unless a shock result or two crops up quickly.
Group E
Celtic earned a point at home to Atletico Madrid on MD3 but a thrashing in the reverse means their hopes of any European football in the new year are all but extinguished. Celtic need to win both their last two and hope Feyenoord lose them both, otherwise they’ll finish last.
Atleti are now top, with Lazio one point back and Feyenoord sitting a further one behind in third, so games between the Spanish club and those two rivals will still dictate the top two.
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Group F
The tightest quartet of all, but it’s looking very tough for Newcastle United, who sit bottom after MD4, though only three points off Borussia Dortmund in first.
Back-to-back wins for the Germans over the Magpies means Eddie Howe’s team realistically need to beat both AC Milan and PSG, while the MD5 Milan vs Dortmund clash will almost certainly dictate who goes through from that pair. PSG have work to do themselves but winning at home to Newcastle will go a long way towards putting them through.
Group G
An easy ride so far for Man City, who have already guaranteed themselves passage to the last 16. RB Leipzig are also through and just top spot remains to fight for, with Red Star and Young Boys earning just one point each through MD4.
Group H
Porto and Barcelona are the top two with three wins from four each, but Shakhtar’s surprise win over the Spanish club on MD4 keeps them in the running, three points back in third. Antwerp are out of the running after four straight defeats.
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